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If you are having a hard time carrying on daily conversation or constantly have to ask people to repeat themselves it may be time to consider getting a hearing test. People can experience auditory deficits for many reasons and it is certainly no reason to be embarrassed. Audiometric testing is usually free or low cost, and can be performed in a very short period of time. The first step in the process is answering some general questions about your medical history, lifestyle, and whether or not the changes you are experiencing happened very suddenly or gradually over a period of time. Your doctor will perform a thorough examination of your ears, to make sure there are no obvious medical problems. Certain types of antibiotics can cause issues with auditory deficits, as can colds or ear infections. Once any medical conditions have been ruled out or addressed, your doctor may recommend a hearing test. There are different types of audiometric tests that can be performed. One type is known as a threshold exam. This identifies difficulties a person may have with certain frequencies or decibels. Speech recognition exams explore problems involving communication and conversation, and these provide a baseline for doctors to work with when they are trying to customize a person's auditory solution. The nice thing about these procedures is that they can be done in many settings, and they do not require any type of anesthetic or sedation. They can be performed by your doctor right in the office, in a special laboratory by an audiologist, or by nurses in a school or work environment. Other professionals such as speech pathologists or psychologists may perform these procedures if they feel they are necessary. These procedures do not have any side effects, and usually do not cause the patient any type of discomfort. There are times when these procedures may be difficult to perform, especially when young children or people with physical or mental disabilities are involved. Other factors can cause difficulties, such as having a recent ear infection or cold, or being exposed to extremely loud noise within a few hours of the exam. A hearing test comes in many different forms. There are exams that measure a person's ability to understand conversation and hear normally. These are often known as speech and word recognition exams. Otoacoustic emissions or OAE exams are commonly used to screen newborn infants. Exams that measure sensorineural deficits are known as ABR or auditory brain stem response exams. Some of the most common exams include the whispered speech and the pure tone audiometry. People that are experiencing any type of auditory deficit should consult their physician immediately. The time to take action is when a problem is first noticed, not when daily living becomes difficult. With the advances in modern technology dealing with auditory deficits does not have to be a problem. Be sure to ask your doctor to perform a hearing test so that you can get the help you need. You don't have to put off a Des Moines, IA hearing test when Miracle-Ear DesMoines is conveniently nearby. Learn more about the modern facility at http://www.miracle-ear-desmoines.com.
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